JP7315628B2 - Foot controller and medical diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to foot controllers and medical diagnostic devices.

2. Description of the Related Art In a dental diagnostic apparatus as an example of a medical diagnostic apparatus, a medical diagnostic apparatus such as a medical chair and medical tools is operated by an operator pressing a pedal of a foot controller with his or her foot. Such a foot controller is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-22249 (Patent Document 1).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-22249

With the foot controller as described above, the operator has to step on the pedal with his/her foot during medical treatment, which places a burden on the operator's foot. Therefore, when the operator does not need to step on the pedal, the operator's foot is required to rest. In addition, the operator operates the diagnostic apparatus by frequently stepping on the pedal, not stepping on the pedal, and adjusting the amount of stepping on the pedal during medical treatment. Therefore, it is required to keep the operator's foot on the pedal at all times.

However, with the foot controller as described above, when the operator's foot is placed on the pedal, the pedal is depressed to operate the diagnostic apparatus. Therefore, the operator's foot cannot rest while the operator's foot is placed on the pedal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to provide a foot controller and a medical diagnostic apparatus that allow the operator's foot to rest while the operator's foot is resting on the pedal.

A foot controller of the present invention includes a main body, a pedal, and a rotating shaft. The body has a bottom. The pedal has a tread. The tread is located on the opposite side of the main body to the bottom, has one end and the other end, and is arranged such that the distance from the bottom increases from one end to the other end. The rotary shaft rotatably supports the pedal with respect to the main body so that the distance from the other end to the bottom can be varied. The pedal rises from the tread surface to the opposite side of the bottom and includes a ridge for the operator to step on with the heel on the floor. The raised portion is arranged between the other end and the one end in the direction in which the one end and the other end face each other, is immovable with respect to the tread surface, and is arranged in the center of the tread surface. The main body has a case that is attached to the bottom and constitutes the sides and upper part of the main body. One end is located on the front side of the tread. The other end is located on the rear side of the tread. The pedal is arranged on the front side of the case and is arranged so as to be lower than the height of the upper surface of the case arranged on the rear side of the case.

According to the foot controller of the present invention, since the convex portion is arranged so as to overlap the rotation shaft in the direction perpendicular to the tread, it is possible to suppress the rotation of the pedal when the operator's foot is placed on the convex portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the pedal from being depressed when the operator's foot is placed on the convex portion. As a result, the operator's foot can be rested while the operator's foot is placed on the pedal. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the accumulation of fatigue due to the operation of the diagnostic apparatus for the operator.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a medical diagnostic apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a medical diagnostic device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a foot controller according to an embodiment of the invention; FIG. 4 is an exploded partial cross-sectional perspective view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3; FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line VV of FIG. 3; FIG. FIG. 4 is a top view showing how the foot controller is operated according to the embodiment of the present invention; 6 is a partial cross-sectional view at a cross-sectional position corresponding to FIG. 5 showing how the foot controller is operated according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view showing how the foot controller is operated according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a perspective view schematically showing the configuration of a modification of the foot controller according to the embodiment of the invention;

An embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
In this embodiment, as one exemplary form of the medical diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, a medical diagnostic apparatus in the form of a chair unit that can be used for dental treatment will be described. The medical diagnosis and treatment apparatus according to the present invention can be applied not only to dentistry but also to any medical treatment such as ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology, radiology, and veterinary medicine. In addition, the medical examination apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the form of a chair unit, even if it is for dentistry, and may be in the form of a portable dental unit that is carried for home visits, or in various forms that can be driven alone, such as an intraoral camera, a scaler, and a motor for root canal treatment. Treatment also includes diagnosis and treatment.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the external configuration of a medical diagnostic apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the internal configuration of the medical diagnostic apparatus 10. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the medical diagnostic apparatus 10 includes a diagnostic chair 1, a basin unit 2, a tray table 3, diagnostic tools 4, a foot controller 5, a monitor 6, an illumination device 7, an operation panel 8, and a control device 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the medical diagnostic apparatus 10 includes, as functional units that perform predetermined functions, a seat driving unit 11, a panel control unit 13, a medical instrument driving unit 14, a monitor control unit 15, a basin control unit 16, and an illumination control unit 17. Each of these functional units has a role as a functional unit that performs a function based on an operator's touch operation on the operation panel 8, which will be described later. Each of these functional units is configured by a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and memory (ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory) (not shown)) mounted on a board.

A medical treatment chair 1 is a chair on which a patient sits when receiving medical treatment from a doctor, and includes a headrest 1a for supporting the head of the patient, a backrest 1b for supporting the back of the patient, a seat 1c for supporting the tail and buttocks of the patient, and a footrest 1d for supporting the legs of the patient. The headrest 1a, the backrest 1b, the seat 1c, and the footrest 1d are connected to the seat driving section 11. As shown in FIG. The seat drive unit 11 drives the headrest 1a, the backrest 1b, the seat 1c, and the footrest 1d.

For example, based on the control of the seat drive unit 11, the seat 1c can be lifted (also referred to as lifting the medical treatment chair 1), whereby the patient sitting on the medical treatment chair 1 can be lifted. On the other hand, it is possible to lower the seat 1c (also referred to as lowering the medical chair 1) under the control of the seat drive unit 11, thereby lowering the patient sitting on the medical chair 1. Further, the headrest 1a, the backrest 1b, and the footrest 1d can be moved in the vertical direction with respect to the seat surface sheet 1c (also referred to as raising the medical treatment chair 1) based on the control of the seat drive unit 11, thereby allowing the patient sitting on the medical treatment chair 1 to assume a sitting posture. On the other hand, the headrest 1a, the backrest 1b, and the footrest 1d can also be moved horizontally with respect to the seat 1c (also referred to as tilting the medical chair 1) based on the control of the seat drive unit 11, whereby the patient sitting on the medical chair 1 can be placed in a supine posture.

Thus, the seat drive unit 11 has a function of raising, lowering, standing, and tilting the medical treatment chair 1 by driving the headrest 1a, the backrest 1b, the seat surface 1c, and the footrest 1d.

The foot controller 5 accepts an operation for driving the medical treatment chair 1 and an operation for driving a medical instrument 4 to be described later by stepping operation by a doctor or the like.

For example, by stepping on a switch for driving the medical treatment chair provided in the foot controller 5, a control signal is output from the operation unit 12 provided in the foot controller 5 to the seat driving unit 11, and the medical treatment chair 1 is driven under the control of the seat driving unit 11. Further, by stepping on a switch for driving the medical instrument provided on the foot controller 5, a control signal is output from the operating section 12 to the medical instrument driving section 14, and the medical instrument 4 is driven under the control of the medical instrument driving section 14.

In this way, the operating section 12 has a function of receiving an operation for driving the medical chair 1 and the medical instruments 4 .

The tray table 3 is used as a storage stand during medical treatment. The tray table 3 is connected to an arm (not shown) extending from the medical treatment chair 1 or the floor, and can be manually rotated, horizontally moved, and vertically moved relative to the medical treatment chair 1 .

A controller 9 is provided on the bottom surface of the tray table 3 . A plurality of medical instruments 4 , an operation panel 8 , and a monitor 6 are connected to the control device 9 . The control device 9 is a control unit for driving each of these components.

The medical instrument 4 is an instrument used for medical treatment, such as an air turbine handpiece (high-speed handpiece), a micromotor handpiece (low-speed handpiece), a scaler, a three-way syringe, a vacuum syringe, and a saliva ejector (saliva ejector). The medical instrument 4 is not limited to these, and may be an intraoral camera, a photopolymerization irradiator, a root canal length measuring instrument, a root canal expander, or a non-driven instrument such as a mirror or a syringe. Medical tools such as an air turbine handpiece, a micromotor handpiece, a three-way syringe and a vacuum syringe may be arranged on the tray table 3, the backrest 1b of the medical treatment chair 1, or the basin unit 2, as shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, five types of medical instruments 4a to 4e are used. High-speed handpieces (also called HS (HS1, HS2)) are used as the medical instruments 4a and 4b, low-speed handpieces (also called LS (LS1, LS2)) are used as the medical instruments 4c and 4d, and scalers (also called SCs) are used as the medical instruments 4e.

Each medical instrument 4 is connected to a medical instrument driving section 14 provided in the control device 9 . The medical instrument drive unit 14 drives each medical instrument 4 based on the operator's operation received by the operation unit 12 . For example, based on the control of the medical instrument driving section 14, the cutting tools held in the head sections of HS1 and HS2 are rotated and can be used for dental treatment.

In this way, the medical instrument driving section 14 has a function of driving the medical instrument 4 based on the operator's operation.

The operation panel 8 represents a display (image display) capable of specifying each switch touch-operated to exhibit each function. The image display is, for example, a character image or an icon image. When an operator such as a doctor touches an image displayed on the operation panel 8, a switch can be touch-operated.

The operation panel 8 is connected to a panel control section 13 provided in the control device 9 . The panel control unit 13 displays only the image display corresponding to the functional unit capable of exhibiting the function, and upon detecting the touch operation of the switch corresponding to the displayed image display, outputs a control signal for exhibiting the function to the functional unit corresponding to the touch-operated switch.

In this manner, the panel control unit 13 displays an image on the operation panel 8 according to whether the function can be performed, and has a function of causing the function unit to perform the function corresponding to the touch-operated switch. Alternatively, the panel control section 13 may be designed to display an image on the operation panel 8 regardless of whether the function can be exhibited. That is, the configuration may be such that the image display of all the functions that may be operated on the operation panel 8 is always displayed. In this specification, it is desirable that even if the operator touches an image display of a function in an environment where the operation cannot be performed, the switch for the image display does not react.

The monitor 6 is composed of a liquid crystal display or the like, and displays a predetermined image based on the control of the monitor control section 15 provided in the control device 9 . For example, under the control of the monitor control unit 15, the monitor 6 can display an image showing drive information of the medical instrument 4 being used, the medical instrument 4 being selected by touching the switch on the operation panel 8, an image showing the position of the tip of the cutting tool in the root canal, an intraoral image captured by the intraoral camera, and the like.

Thus, the monitor control unit 15 has a function of displaying a predetermined image on the screen of the monitor 6. FIG.

The basin unit 2 is attached to the side of the medical treatment chair 1 and includes a basin 2a having a drainage port, a cup base 2b on which a cup is placed, and a water tap 2c for supplying water to the cup. The basin unit 2 is a platform for the patient to gargle with water supplied in a cup from the water tap 2c. The basin unit 2 also includes a basin control section 16 and controls the flow of water used in the medical diagnostic apparatus 10 based on the control of the basin control section 16 .

Thus, the basin control unit 16 has the function of controlling the flow of water used in the medical diagnostic apparatus 10 .

Further, the basin unit 2 includes an illumination control section 17 and controls illumination and extinguishing of the illumination device 7 based on the control of the illumination control section 17 .

In this way, the lighting control unit 17 has a function of controlling lighting and turning off of the lighting device 7 (also referred to as a lighting control function).

The medical diagnostic apparatus 10 may have a configuration other than the configuration shown in FIG. 1 and a functional section other than the functional section shown in FIG.

Next, the configuration of the foot controller 5 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. The foot controller 5 includes a body portion 5a, pedals 5b, switches 5c1 to 5c5, a rotating shaft 5d, a spring 5e, a driving portion 5f, a driven portion 5g, and a potentiometer 5h.

The foot controller 5 is for operating the medical equipment such as the medical chair 1 and medical instruments 4 by operating a pedal 5b and switches 5c1 to 5c5 supported on the main body 5a. By operating the pedal 5b, for example, it is possible to increase or decrease the rotation speed of the turbine of the air turbine handpiece as the medical instrument 4. FIG.

The pedal 5b is arranged on the upper part of the body portion 5a. The switches 5c1 to 5c5 are arranged on the side and top of the body portion 5a. A rotating shaft 5d, a spring 5e, a driving portion 5f, a driven portion 5g, and a potentiometer 5h are housed inside the body portion 5a.

The body portion 5a includes a bottom portion 5a1 and a case 5a2. In this embodiment, the bottom portion 5a1 is configured by a bottom plate. The bottom portion 5a1 constitutes the lower surface of the main body portion 5a. The case 5a2 is attached to the bottom portion 5a1.

The case 5a2 constitutes a side portion and an upper portion of the main body portion 5a. The bottom portion 5a1 has an overhanging portion 5a3 that overhangs the outside of the case 5a2. The bottom portion 5a1 and the protruding portion 5a3 may be separate or integrated, and it is sufficient that they constitute the bottom surface of the foot controller 5. As shown in FIG. The overhanging portion 5a3 prevents the switches 5c1 to 5c4 from being unintentionally operated when the foot controller 5 inadvertently touches the legs of the medical chair 1 or a stool (not shown) on which the operator sits. When the foot controller 5 approaches a surrounding object, the overhanging portion 5a3 abuts on the object, so that the switches 5c1 to 5c4 are configured so that the switches 5c1 to 5c4 are not accidentally touched. A non-slip groove is formed on the lower surface (mounting surface) of the bottom portion 5a1. The grooves formed in the bottom portion 5a1 are configured to reduce an undesirable situation for the operator that the installation position of the foot controller 5 changes during operation of the foot controller 5. FIG.

The case 5a2 includes a pair of support portions 5a4 arranged at both ends in the width direction of the case 5a2 (the line direction connecting the switches 5c1 and 5c3). As shown in FIG. 3, the width direction of the case 5a2 is the horizontal direction. A through hole 5a5 is formed in each front end portion of each of the pair of support portions 5a4.

The pedal 5b is configured to be able to be pushed downward (in the direction of the installation surface of the foot controller 5) when the operator steps on the pedal 5b. The pedal 5b includes a footboard (pedal rubber) 5b1, a pedal base 5b6, and a screw 5b12. In this embodiment, the pedal 5b is composed of a plurality of members (the footboard 5b1 and the pedal base 5b6), but the pedal 5b is not limited to this, and may be composed of a single member in the shape of a single plate.

The tread plate 5b1 includes a tread surface 5b2, a convex portion 5b3, and a raised portion 5b4. The tread surface 5b2 constitutes the upper surface of the tread plate 5b1. The tread surface 5b2 is located on the side opposite to the bottom portion 5a1 with respect to the main body portion 5a. The tread surface 5b2 has one end E1 and the other end E2. As seen from the operator of the foot controller 5, the one end E1 is located on the front side of the tread surface 5b2, and the other end E2 is located on the rear side of the tread surface 5b2. The tread surface 5b2 is arranged such that the distance from the bottom portion 5a1 increases from one end E1 toward the other end E2. That is, the tread surface 5b2 is inclined such that the height position of the other end E2 is higher than the height position of the one end E1.

A convex portion 5b3 is provided on the tread surface 5b2. The convex portion 5b3 protrudes from the tread surface 5b2 to the side opposite to the bottom portion 5a1. When the convex portion 5b3 is viewed from a direction perpendicular to the tread surface 5b2, the convex portion 5b3 is formed in a substantially circular shape. The upper end portion of the convex portion 5b3 has a spherical surface. Since the upper end portion of the convex portion 5b3 has a spherical surface, it is easy to place the operator's foot on the convex portion 5b3. At least one convex portion 5b3 may be provided. In this embodiment, the convex portion 5b3 has a dome shape as described above. Moreover, the height of the convex portion 5b3 is preferably 8 mm or more and 28 mm or less, for example.

In this embodiment, a pair of convex portions 5b3 are provided. The pair of convex portions 5b3 are arranged at the end of the tread surface 5b2 on the one end E1 side. The pair of convex portions 5b3 are arranged at both end portions of the tread surface 5b2 in a direction intersecting the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. That is, the pair of convex portions 5b3 are arranged at both ends of the foot controller 5 in the width direction (horizontal direction). Therefore, it is possible to place the foot of the operator on the tread surface 5b2 between the pair of convex portions 5b3. In addition, it becomes easier for the operator to place either the left foot or the right foot on the convex portion 5b3. In addition, the convex portion 5b3 may be arranged at only one of both ends in the width direction (horizontal direction) of the foot controller 5. As shown in FIG.

The raised portion 5b4 rises from the tread surface 5b2 to the side opposite to the bottom portion 5a1. The raised portion 5b4 is arranged between the other end E2 and the convex portion 5b3 in the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. The raised portion 5b4 is arranged in the central portion of the tread surface 5b2. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the tread surface 5b2, the raised portion 5b4 is formed in a substantially elliptical shape whose longitudinal direction is the width direction (horizontal direction) of the foot controller 5. As shown in FIG. The upper surface of the raised portion 5b4 has a curved surface whose height decreases from the center toward the outer edge. Since the upper surface of the raised portion 5b4 has a curved surface whose height decreases from the center toward the outer edge, it is easy for the operator to step on the raised portion 5b4. The height of the raised portion 5b4 is lower than the height of the convex portion 5b3. Therefore, when the operator's foot is placed on the protruding portion 5b3, it is possible to easily suppress stepping on the raised portion 5b4 unintentionally. In addition, the configuration in which the height of the raised portion 5b4 is lower than the height of the convex portion 5b3 is a matter of design and is not essential for the present invention. Even if the height of the raised portion is higher than the height of the convex portion, the effect of resting the operator's foot by the convex portion 5b3 of the present invention can be exhibited. Moreover, the height of the raised portion 5b4 is preferably 5 mm or more and 48 mm or less, for example. When the height of the protruding portion 5b4 is lower than the height of the protruding portion 5b3, the difference between the height of the protruding portion 5b3 and the height of the protruding portion 5b4 (height of protruding portion 5b3−height of protruding portion 5b4) is preferably 3 mm or less, for example. On the other hand, when the height of the raised portion 5b4 is higher than the height of the raised portion 5b3, the difference between the height of the raised portion 5b4 and the height of the raised portion 5b3 (height of raised portion 5b4 - height of raised portion 5b3) is preferably 20 mm or less, for example.

A pair of screw holes 5b5 are formed in the lower surface of the footboard 5b1. The pair of screw holes 5b5 are arranged on the surface of the tread surface 5b2 opposite to the surface on which the raised portion 5b4 is provided.

A pair of springs 5e are arranged below the footboard 5b1 (the lower surface of a pedal base 5b6, which will be described later). The spring 5e is configured to bias the footboard 5b1 in a direction from the lower surface to the upper surface of the footboard 5b1. Specifically, the spring 5e urges the pedal 5b against the body portion 5a so that the distance from the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 to the bottom portion 5a1 increases.

The pedal base 5b6 includes a top plate 5b7, a pair of side plates 5b9, and a shaft 5b11. The top plate 5b7 is configured to follow the lower surface of the footboard 5b1. A pair of through holes 5b8 are formed in the central portion of the top plate 5b7. Each of the pair of screws 5b12 is screwed into the pair of screw holes 5b5 while being inserted into the pair of through holes 5b8. Thereby, the footboard 5b1 and the pedal base 5b6 are fixed to each other. The method of fixing the tread plate and the pedal base is not limited to screwing as in the embodiment. For example, a tread plate made of an elastic material may be covered with the pedal base, or they may be fitted together.

A pair of side plates 5b9 are connected to both ends in the width direction (horizontal direction) of the top plate 5b7. The pair of side plates 5b9 protrude from the top plate 5b7 in the front-rear direction orthogonal to the width direction of the top plate 5b7. A through hole 5b10 is formed in each front end portion of each of the pair of side plates 5b9.

The pair of side plates 5b9 are arranged so as to sandwich the outer surfaces of the pair of support portions 5a4. The through holes 5b10 of the pair of side plates 5b9 communicate with the through holes 5a5 of the pair of support portions 5a4 to form a pair of communicating through holes (not shown). 5 d of rotating shafts are rotatably inserted in each through-hole five b10 of a pair of side plate five b9, and each through-hole five a5 of a pair of support part five a4. The rotating shaft 5d has a cylindrical shape. The axis of the rotating shaft 5d is arranged in a direction that intersects the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. By rotating the pedal base 5b6 about the rotation shaft 5d, the footboard 5b1 fixed to the pedal base 5b6 can be rotated. In this manner, the rotating shaft 5d rotatably supports the pedal 5b with respect to the body portion 5a.

Specifically, the rotating shaft 5d rotatably supports the pedal 5b with respect to the body portion 5a so that the distance from the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 to the bottom portion 5a1 is variable. That is, the rotating shaft 5d can rotate the pedal 5b so that the distance from the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 to the bottom portion 5a1 can be changed. More specifically, the rotating shaft 5d can rotate the pedal 5b so that the distance from the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 to the bottom portion 5a1 becomes shorter, and rotate the pedal 5b so that the distance from the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 to the bottom portion 5a1 becomes longer.

The convex portion 5b3 is arranged so as to overlap the rotating shaft 5d in a direction perpendicular to the tread surface 5b2. In addition, the convex-shaped part five b3 should just be arrange|positioned so that it may overlap with at least one part of 5 d of rotating shafts in the direction orthogonal to the tread surface five b2. The convex portion 5b3 may be arranged so as to vertically overlap the rotation shaft 5d when the foot controller 5 is placed on a horizontal surface.

A recessed portion 5a6 is formed at the rear end portion of the support portion 5a4 of the case 5a2. The concave portion 5a6 penetrates the support portion 5a4 and opens upward. A shaft 5b11 is attached to the rear end of one of the pair of side plates 5b9 of the pedal base 5b6.

The driving portion 5f includes one surface 5f1, the other surface 5f2, a shaft 5f3, and a drive gear 5f4. One surface 5f1 is positioned opposite to the other surface 5f2. The shaft 5f3 is arranged at the front end of the drive portion 5f. The shaft 5f3 is arranged on one surface 5f1. The shaft 5f3 protrudes from the one surface 5f1 to the side opposite to the other surface 5f2.

The drive gear 5f4 is arranged at the rear end of the drive portion 5f. The drive gear 5f4 is arranged on the other surface 5f2. The drive gear 5f4 extends vertically along the other surface 5f2. Each tooth of the drive gear 5f4 protrudes from the rear side (the other end E2 side) to the front side (the one end E1 side).

A through hole 5f5 is formed in the rear end portion of the drive portion 5f. The through hole 5f5 is arranged above the driving portion 5f. The through hole 5f5 penetrates the one surface 5f1 and the other surface 5f2. The through hole 5f5 is formed in a substantially elliptical shape.

A shaft 5f3 of the drive portion 5f is rotatably inserted into a recessed portion 5a6 formed in one support portion 5a4. A shaft 5b11 of a pedal base 5b6 is slidably inserted into a through hole 5f5 formed in the drive portion 5f. That is, the driving portion 5f is arranged between the pair of side plates 5b9 of the pedal base 5b6.

Further, the case 5a2 has a housing portion 5a7. A through hole 5a8 is formed in a side surface of the accommodating portion 5a7 facing the driving portion 5f. A driven portion 5g and a potentiometer 5h are attached to the through hole 5a8. The driven portion 5g includes a driven gear 5g1 and a bearing 5g2. The driven gear 5g1 is slidably attached to the bearing 5g2. The driven gear 5g1 is configured to mesh with the drive gear 5f4. A potentiometer 5h is connected to the driven gear 5g1.

As the pedal 5b rotates around the rotary shaft 5d, the driving portion 5f rotates around the shaft 5f3. As a result, the driving gear 5f4 of the driving portion 5f is rotated while meshing with the driven gear 5g1.

When the driven gear 5g1 rotates, the rotation angle of the driven gear 5g1 is detected by the potentiometer 5h, and an electric signal is sent to the control device 9. The amount of operation of the pedal 5b is detected by the control device 9, and the diagnostic apparatus such as the medical instrument 4 is controlled according to the amount of operation of the pedal 5b.

Next, how the foot controller 5 according to the present embodiment is operated will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. FIG. 6 to 8 show how the operator operates the foot controller 5 with his left foot.

In FIG. 6, the operator's left foot is placed on the convex portion 5b3 of the pedal 5b. In this state, the pedal 5b is not depressed by the operator's left foot. Therefore, the medical device is not operated. The operator rests his left foot while resting it on the pedal 5b (rest state). The rest state is a state in which the medical device is not operated when the operator's foot is placed on the pedal 5b or when the operator steps on the pedal 5b. That is, in the rest state, it is possible not to operate the diagnostic apparatus when the pedal 5b is slightly depressed.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the rest state, the pedal 5b is urged upward on the side opposite to the bottom portion 5a1 by the elastic force of the spring 5e. The point of force/action of the spring 5e is located on the lower surface of the footboard 5b1 with which the spring 5e contacts. A force F1 due to the elastic force of the spring 5e acts on the point of force/action of the spring 5e in the direction from the lower surface to the upper surface of the footboard 5b1.

Also, during rest, force F2 acts on the convex portion 5b3 by the operator's left foot. The point of force/action during rest is located on the convex portion 5b3. A force F2 by the operator's left foot acts on the point of force/action during this rest in the direction from the upper surface to the lower surface of the footboard 5b1.

During rest, the first moment about the rotation axis 5d due to the elastic force (force F1) of the spring 5e is greater than the second moment about the rotation axis 5d due to the force (force F2) acting on the convex portion 5b3 by the operator's left leg. The first moment is the elastic force (force F1) of the spring 5e multiplied by the distance L1 from the spring 5e to the rotating shaft 5d in the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. The second moment is the force (force F2) acting on the convex portion 5b3 multiplied by the distance L2 from the convex portion 5b3 to the rotating shaft 5d in the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other.

When the pedal 5b is stepped on, a force F3 is applied to the tread surface 5b2 by the operator's left foot. In FIG. 7, the point of force/action when the pedal 5b is stepped on is located at the raised portion 5b4. A force F3 by the operator's left foot acts in the direction from the upper surface to the lower surface of the tread plate 5b1 at the force point/action point when the pedal 5b is stepped on.

When the pedal 5b is stepped on, the first moment about the rotation axis 5d due to the elastic force (force F1) of the spring 5e is smaller than the third moment about the rotation axis 5d due to the force (force F3) acting on the raised portion 5b4 by the operator's left foot. The third moment is the force (force F3) acting on the raised portion 5b4 multiplied by the distance L3 from the raised portion 5b4 to the rotation axis 5d in the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other.

A state when the pedal 5b is stepped on will be described with reference to FIG. When the pedal 5b is stepped on, the first moment about the rotation axis 5d due to the elastic force (force F1) of the spring 5e is smaller than the third moment about the rotation axis 5d due to the force (force F3) acting on the raised portion 5b4 by the operator's left foot.

Next, the effects of this embodiment will be described.
According to the foot controller 5 of the present embodiment, the convex portion 5b3 of the pedal 5b is arranged so as to overlap the rotation shaft 5d in the direction orthogonal to the tread surface 5b2, so that when the operator's foot is placed on the convex portion 5b3, the rotation of the pedal 5b can be suppressed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the pedal 5b from being depressed when the operator's foot is placed on the convex portion 5b3. As a result, the operator's foot can be rested while the operator's foot is placed on the pedal 5b. Therefore, even if medical care is performed for a long time, fatigue of the operator can be reduced as compared with the use of the conventional foot controller. This configuration also allows the operator to operate the pedal 5b with a part of the operator's foot placed on the convex portion 5b3. Therefore, when the operator wants to obtain a resting state, the operator can rest without removing the foot from the foot controller 5, thereby eliminating the troublesomeness of securing the rest position by largely moving the operator's foot. Since the convex portion 5b3 supports a part of the foot of the operator, the stability of the foot of the operator who operates the pedal 5b is improved, the operation of stepping on the pedal 5b is facilitated, and the amount of depression of the pedal 5b is easily finely adjusted. Therefore, the present invention is a desirable configuration for medical treatment using a medical instrument 4 that requires fine adjustment of the pedal operation when driven, such as a dental micromotor.

The pair of convex portions 5b3 are arranged at both end portions of the tread surface 5b2 in a direction intersecting the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. Therefore, when the operator steps on the pedal 5b with the heel on the installation surface (floor) of the foot controller 5, the operator's foot can be placed on the tread surface 5b2 and stepped on the pedal 5b without being blocked by the tread surface 5b2 between the pair of convex portions 5b3. Further, the foot of the operator who operates the foot controller 5 may be either the left or right foot depending on the dominant foot of the operator. This embodiment is preferable because it has a configuration that allows easy resting regardless of whether the foot is used for operation. In this embodiment, a pair of convex portions 5b3 are provided, but this is not limiting, and a convex portion may be provided on either one of the left or right side or in the center near one end E1 according to the foot operated by the operator.

Further, according to the foot controller 5 of the present embodiment, the first moment obtained by multiplying the elastic force of the spring 5e by the distance L1 from the spring 5e to the rotation axis 5d in the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other is the second moment obtained by multiplying the force acting on the projection 5b3 by the operator's left foot by the distance L2 from the projection 5b3 to the rotation shaft 5d in the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. greater than the moment. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the pedal 5b from being depressed when the operator's foot is placed on the convex portion 5b3. As a result, the operator's foot can be rested while the operator's foot is placed on the pedal 5b. Therefore, even if medical care is performed for a long time, fatigue of the operator can be reduced as compared with the use of the conventional foot controller. This configuration also allows the operator to operate the pedal 5b with a part of the operator's foot placed on the convex portion 5b3. Therefore, when the operator wants to obtain a resting state, the operator can rest without removing the foot from the foot controller 5, thereby eliminating the troublesomeness of securing the rest position by largely moving the operator's foot. Since the convex portion 5b3 supports a part of the foot of the operator, the stability of the foot of the operator who operates the pedal 5b is improved, the operation of stepping on the pedal 5b is facilitated, and the amount of depression of the pedal 5b is easily finely adjusted. Therefore, the present invention is a desirable configuration for medical treatment using a medical instrument 4 that requires fine adjustment of pedal operation when driven, such as a dental micromotor.

Further, according to the foot controller 5 of the present embodiment, the pedal 5b may be configured in the shape of a single plate. This simplifies the structure of the pedal 5b.

Further, according to the foot controller 5 of the present embodiment, the protruding portion 5b4 of the pedal 5b protrudes from the tread surface 5b2 on the side opposite to the bottom portion 5a1, and is disposed between the other end E2 and the convex portion 5b3 in the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. Therefore, when the operator depresses the pedal 5b with the heel on the ground, the protuberance 5b4 assists the pedaling and facilitates the operation. Therefore, by stepping on the raised portion 5b4, the pedal 5b can be stepped on with a smaller force than when stepping on the tread surface 5b2, so that the stepping operation can be performed easily.

The medical diagnostic apparatus of this embodiment includes the foot controller 5 and a diagnostic apparatus controlled by the foot controller 5 . As a result, it is possible to provide a medical diagnostic apparatus having the foot controller 5 that allows the operator's foot to rest while the operator's foot is placed on the pedal 5b.

Next, a modification of the foot controller 5 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. It should be noted that the modified example of foot controller 5 in the present embodiment has the same configuration as in the above-described present embodiment unless otherwise specified, and the same configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will not be repeated.

In the modified example of the foot controller 5 in this embodiment, the pedal 5b includes a first pedal section 5ba and a second pedal section 5bb. The first pedal portion 5ba and the second pedal portion 5bb are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the direction in which the one end E1 and the other end E2 of the tread surface 5b2 face each other. Further, the main body portion 5a is provided with a partition plate 5a10. The partition plate 5a10 is arranged between the first pedal portion 5ba and the second pedal portion 5bb.

Further, according to the modified example of the foot controller 5 of the present embodiment, the pedal 5b includes the first pedal section 5ba and the second pedal section 5bb. Therefore, different operations can be performed by the first pedal portion 5ba and the second pedal portion 5bb. For example, the first pedal portion 5ba can be used to operate the micromotor handpiece (low-speed handpiece LS), and the second pedal portion 5bb can be used to operate the air turbine handpiece (high-speed handpiece HS).

It should be considered that the embodiments disclosed this time are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the scope of the claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the scope and meaning of equivalents of the scope of the claims.

1 medical chair, 2 base unit, 3 tray table, 4 medical instruments, 5 foot controller, 5a main body, 5a1 bottom, 5a2 case, 5b pedal, 5b1 footboard, 5b2 tread, 5b3 convex portion, 5b4 raised portion, 5ba first pedal portion, 5bb second pedal portion, 5c1 to 5c5 switch, 5d rotary shaft, 5e spring, 5f driving portion, 5g follower, 5h potentiometer, 6 monitor, 7 illumination device, 8 operation panel, 9 control device, 10 medical diagnosis device, 11 sheet drive unit, 12 operation unit, 13 panel control unit, 14 medical instrument drive unit, 15 monitor control unit, 16 base control unit, 17 illumination control unit, E1 one end, E2 other end.

Claims (6)

a body having a bottom;
a pedal having a tread located on the side opposite to the bottom with respect to the main body and having one end and the other end and arranged such that the distance from the bottom is increased from the one end to the other end;
a rotating shaft that rotatably supports the pedal with respect to the main body so that the distance from the other end to the bottom is variable;
The pedal includes a protruding portion that protrudes from the tread surface to the opposite side of the bottom portion for the operator to step on with his/her heel on the floor,
The raised portion is arranged between the other end and the one end in the direction in which the one end and the other end face each other, is immovable with respect to the tread surface, and is arranged in a central portion of the tread surface,
the body portion has a case attached to the bottom portion and forming side portions and an upper portion of the body portion;
The one end is located on the front side of the tread,
The other end is positioned behind the tread surface,
A foot controller according to claim 1, wherein the pedal is arranged on the front side of the case and arranged so as to be lower than the height of the upper surface of the case arranged on the rear side of the case. The pedal has a convex portion projecting from the tread surface to the side opposite to the bottom portion,
2. The foot controller according to claim 1, wherein said convex portion is arranged so as to overlap said rotating shaft in a direction orthogonal to said tread surface. 3. The foot controller according to claim 1, wherein said raised portion is configured such that the center of said raised portion and said rotating shaft of said pedal do not overlap in the vertical direction. the pedal includes a first pedal section and a second pedal section;
The foot controller according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first pedal section and the second pedal section are arranged side by side in a direction intersecting the direction in which the one end and the other end face each other. Equipped with additional springs,
5. The foot controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the pedal is stepped on, the moment about the rotation axis due to the elastic force of the spring is smaller than the moment about the rotation axis due to the force acting on the raised portion by the feet of the operator. A foot controller according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ;
and a diagnostic device controlled by the foot controller.

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